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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28136895">if heaven wants to take us they can try</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/DrowningInStarlight/pseuds/DrowningInStarlight'>DrowningInStarlight</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Campaign (Podcast)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Neoscum Fusion, Families of Choice, Hurt/Comfort, Multi, Team as Family, neoscum au</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 15:09:30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,715</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28136895</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/DrowningInStarlight/pseuds/DrowningInStarlight</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>It’s been years since Gable woke up on the side of the road with scars on their back, a splitting headache and no memories of their past.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Gable &amp; Jonnit Kessler &amp; Travis Matagot &amp; Dref Wormwood, Gable/Margaret/Travis Matagot</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>22</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>if heaven wants to take us they can try</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>uwuru discord, this one's for you &lt;3 </p>
<p>title from zero percent by my chemical romance.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It’s been years since Gable woke up on the side of the road with scars on their back, a splitting headache and no memories of their past. They still haven’t worked out how to stop running. It’s so much easier to keep moving. No one asks questions out here on the freeway. It’s just you and the wind. </p>
<p>And, of course, any stragglers you might happen to pick up along the way.</p>
<p>This motel room is small and cramped. There’s mould splotched on the walls, and the carpet is almost worn through, but the receptionist hadn’t asked questions about the blood stains or the way that Dref was practically unconscious with exhaustion in Gable’s arms, so that makes it perfect. They only had the new yen for one room, but that’s fine. Gable knows they all prefer to keep close. It's hard, sometimes, knowing exactly what mortality looks like on people that you love. </p>
<p>And Gable does love them. They don’t know how that happened. In all the years that they’d spent trucking and trying to pretend that the only thing they knew about themself wasn’t distant flashes of violence, they’d become very good at keeping their distance. But here they are, perched on an uncomfortable chair in a shitty motel room, watching over two of the only three people in the world that they love so fiercely that they don’t know what to do about it. </p>
<p>There’s a soft double-tap on the door, and Gable tenses for half a second, raising their gun instinctively, before Travis pushes it open. He looks windswept and irritated, his own gun held loosely in one hand and a plastic shopping bag in the other. </p>
<p>He nods at their gun, still raised. “Not you too. I’ve had enough of people pointing guns at me today.” </p>
<p>“Shh,” Gable says, lowering it slowly. “Jonnit and Dref are sleeping.” </p>
<p>They nod over to the too-small bed, where the other two are curled up. They’d both fallen asleep on top of the covers, but it’s cold, so Gable had draped Dref’s coat over him and their own coat over Jonnit as best as they could. It doesn’t look peaceful, but it’s something. They’ve all been running too hard for too long. A night’s stopover isn’t going to hurt. </p>
<p>Travis rolls his eyes, and drops the plastic bag in their lap. “Waiting up?” he asks. </p>
<p>“Keeping watch,” Gable corrects. “We are on the run, remember. After what happened back there...” </p>
<p>“We escaped and it's fine. We’ve always been on the run,” Travis says, turning to take his jacket off and stick it on the pile with the rest of their stuff. “You and I, at least. What’s so different now?” </p>
<p>Gable just glares at the back of his head. “You can’t possibly believe that nothing has changed. Did you meet this Mr Johnson, at least?” they ask. </p>
<p>“Yes,” Travis says, turning back to them, “But it turns out he doesn’t remember me as fondly as I remember him.”</p>
<p>“I thought you said he shot you when you worked together back in the day,” Gable says. </p>
<p>“Well, yes, and it turns out he was real eager for a repeat performance.” </p>
<p>“He shot you? Today?” they ask, unable to help the sudden watchfulness in their voice. That’s what they <em>do</em> in this group. They drive the truck, and they act as guard dog. They know Dref and Jonnit would protest that, but the thing about being out here for so long is you learn exactly what you’re good for. Apparently, the only thing Gable’s <em>ever</em> been good for is violence. </p>
<p>“He tried,” Travis says disdainfully, sitting on the edge of the bed. The springs squeak. “But anyway, we won’t be getting a job from him. Which leaves us in the exact same situation as always.”</p>
<p>“Hunted and powerless. We can’t let the Youngbloods get Dref and we can’t let <em>anyone</em> get Jonnit,” they murmur. They glance down at their lap. “What’s in this bag?” </p>
<p>“Sugar,” Travis says. “Help yourself.” </p>
<p>Gable looks in the bag, and sees various brightly coloured candy wrappers. They know for a fact that Travis didn't have the new yen to buy this, but they learnt early on to not ask questions. “You’re sharing?” they ask suspiciously. </p>
<p>“No,” Travis says, sounding offended at the very suggestion. “That one’s for you and the others, so you stop eating <em>mine.”</em></p>
<p>“We only eat yours because you leave it in the cab,” Gable says. </p>
<p>This is an argument they’ve had so many times before. Gable doesn’t know where Travis comes from, but they know that he’s been on the roads for as long as they have, if not longer. This isn’t even the first time they’ve ridden together. They’ve been part of the same groups, they’ve run the same jobs, they’ve argued and been kicked out of bars and arrested together. Gable doesn’t have many friends. Travis is, despite everything, their oldest. </p>
<p>That they remember, anyway. But now isn’t the time to poke at that old wound. </p>
<p>“Travis?” Jonnit says sleepily, pushing himself up on his elbows. “How did it go? We gonna have a job to do?” </p>
<p>“Morning, Jonnit,” Travis says, despite the fact it’s getting dark outside. “Nope. No job. Not here, anyway. I’m going to go shower.” </p>
<p>“What’s up with him?” Jonnit asks, watching Travis go as he stalks out of the room. </p>
<p>“He’s cranky because he got shot at,” Gable explains. </p>
<p>“Meeting went that bad?” Jonnit asks. He looks better than he had earlier, calmer, more alert. </p>
<p>“Apparently so.” </p>
<p>“D’you want your coat back?” he offers. </p>
<p>Gable shakes their head. “It’s cold in here. Keep it.” </p>
<p>Jonnit smiles at them and pulls it around his shoulders. It’s way too large for him. Jonnit is so young to be living this kind of life. Dref’s still out, not even stirring at the noise around him. Gable gets up and sits on the edge of the bed where Travis had been sitting a moment earlier, and quietly they lean over to take Dref’s wrist. </p>
<p>“Gable, he’s gonna be okay,” Jonnit says, watching them. “He’s just exhausted.” </p>
<p>“Yeah,” Gable says absently. Dref’s pulse is strong and steady. They linger for a moment before letting go. “I know.” </p>
<p> </p>
<p>— </p>
<p> </p>
<p>They take turns showering, washing clothes and weapons as best as they can. The motel seems almost empty, and no one looks at them twice. Once everyone is done, Gable peers out of the window to check on the truck. Everything seems peaceful out there, too. </p>
<p>They’re tired, so tired, but everything’s too quiet— It’s almost enough to make them suspicious. Perhaps they’re just paranoid, nowadays. </p>
<p>Jonnit and Dref both appear to be almost asleep again. Dref had barely woken up in the first place, and Jonnit seems fully confident that Gable will handle any dangers that might occur during the night. Travis, however, is still sitting on the edge of the bed, watching them. </p>
<p>“Are you going to sleep, or what?” he accuses. </p>
<p>Gable makes a non-committal noise. </p>
<p>“Nothing is going to happen if you sleep for a few hours.” </p>
<p>“Why do you care, anyway?” Gable says wearily, turning away from the window, letting the blinds fall closed behind them. </p>
<p>“I’ll be in the truck if you crash it tomorrow.” </p>
<p>“I’m not going to <em>crash</em> the <em>truck—”</em></p>
<p>“Go to sleep, Gable,” he insists. “I’ll keep watch.” </p>
<p>“You… will?” </p>
<p>“Yeah,” Travis says. “It’s whatever. I’ll wake you at four. Now shut up and go to bed.” </p>
<p> </p>
<p>— </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Travis wakes them at four am, just like he promised. The orange shadows of the blinds and the street lights outside turn his face shadowy, and Gable can’t make out his expression. </p>
<p>In the morning, they’re all up early, and they’re away before there are signs of anyone else in the motel stirring. Just four more ghosts on the endless highway. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>— </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Breaker breaker, welcome to Jonnit Kessler’s truck radio hour,” Jonnit says cheerfully, fiddling with the radio. Mid-morning sunlight floods the cab. Jonnit’s sat shotgun, next to Gable driving, and the ends of his bandana blow in the wind from the open windows. </p>
<p>There are four seats in the cab of Metatron, two in the front, two in the back. Gable’s driven a lot of trucks, but Metatron is theirs in a way none of the others have ever been. On the outside, it’s grey, with the silhouette of the bird in flight sprayed onto the side. Inside, nowadays, it’s full of candy wrappers and Dref’s notebooks and pages and pages of maps that Jonnit’s pinned to the walls. Gable can hardly remember what it looked like before. It feels like home. </p>
<p>“You have got to stop doing that,” Travis says idly to Jonnit. He’s in the back, behind Gable, his legs tucked up on the seat. He glances up at them, knowing that they can see him in the rearview mirror. “We’re on the run, remember.” </p>
<p>It’s what they’d told him last night, what he’d dismissed easily. He’s just doing this to be contrary and they all know it. </p>
<p>“I’m gonna murder you at the next stop,” they tell him. </p>
<p>“Trav, there’s no one out here,” Jonnit says. “It’s just us for miles and miles.”</p>
<p>“You can’t know that.” </p>
<p>“He can,” Dref and Gable say at the same time. Dref’s sitting behind Jonnit, still looking pale and tired despite the night’s sleep he’d had at the motel. Magic takes a scary amount out of him, every time. His matrix glasses are pale blue and flicker with colour as he researches the jobs on darkmovers located on their path. </p>
<p>“Brain internet,” Jonnit says, tapping his forehead. </p>
<p>“You can’t use brain internet as an excuse for everything,” Travis says. </p>
<p>“It’s not an excuse when it’s true,” Jonnit argues. “There’s no one around connected to the matrix, and everyone is connected to the matrix.” </p>
<p>“Gable basically isn’t, they never answer their comm.” </p>
<p>“H— have you ever c— considered that p— people just do not like talking to you?” Dref says, looking across at Travis over his glasses. </p>
<p>“You wound me, Dref, do you know that?” </p>
<p>“I use my comm in emergencies,” Gable points out. </p>
<p>“Honestly you only need to have it turned on for me to access it, that’s all it takes,” Jonnit says, then stiffens, hands freezing on the radio. “—wait.” </p>
<p>“What’s wr— wrong?” Dref asks. </p>
<p>“Wait, wait, there <em>is</em> something—” Jonnit says. He takes a slow breath and closes his eyes.  </p>
<p>“Jonnit, don’t put yourself in danger,” Gable says, recognising what he’s doing at once. Jonnit just shakes his head, and without opening his eyes passes his comm to Gable. They take it with one hand, keeping the other on the wheel. </p>
<p>The screen is black for a moment, but then it flashes up with a little avatar of a single, stylised eye. It’s formed of neon pink lines, floating in a swirling cloud— Jonnit’s matrix persona. It forms a little stick person arm, and waves reassuringly before flashing away again. </p>
<p><em>“Jonnit,”</em> Gable says, but they know it’s too late. <em>Technomancers.</em> </p>
<p>“I don’t see anything,” Travis says, leaning so far out of the window Gable almost thinks he’s going to fall. Dref is obviously thinking the same thing, and leans over to grab the end of Travis’s jacket. </p>
<p>“No, wait…” Travis continues. “I think it’s a drone.” </p>
<p>“A dr— drone?” Dref says. </p>
<p>“Yeah, I can’t quite… you look.” </p>
<p>Dref leans across to peer out of the window. He touches something on his glasses, and then inhales sharply. </p>
<p>“What is it?” Gable says. </p>
<p>“J— Jonnit, you n— need to get <em>out of there,”</em> Dref says, pulling back from the window. “Gable, <em>go.</em> It’s—” </p>
<p>Jonnit opens his eyes with a gasp. “It’s the Youngblood Corporation,” he says. “I couldn’t access the systems, their firewall is too strong, but if we can see them, then…” </p>
<p>“They can see us,” Gable finishes. They don’t hesitate. They hit the gas, and the truck roars away. </p>
<p>“They can’t possibly know Dref is on board,” Travis says, craning out of the window again, watching as the dot on the horizon gets smaller and smaller. </p>
<p>“I don’t think it did,” Jonnit says. “I couldn’t get much, but it didn’t seem like it was on high alert. Just a normal patrol.” </p>
<p>“The Youngblood corp everywhere,” Gable says, eyes on the road ahead. It’s open desert for miles. They could go anywhere in the world, and it wouldn’t be far enough. “It’s going to be tricky to avoid it forever.” </p>
<p>Dref sinks down into his seat. “You know you d— don’t have to st— stay with me. You w— would be safer if I wasn’t with you. You all would.” </p>
<p>“Dref, you know that wasn’t what I meant,” Gable says, softening their voice intentionally, despite the tension. “I just— we need to have a plan. That doesn’t involve handing you over.” </p>
<p>“We’ve all got enemies,” Travis says. His hand goes almost unconsciously to his forearm. Gable is probably about the only person left living who knows even a handful of the details of Travis’s connections to the gang run by the infamous Forest Queen, and they definitely don’t know everything. But they do know that the reason Travis never wears short sleeves is the little row of tattoos that run up the inside of his wrist: a snake, a bird, a rabbit and a coyote. </p>
<p>“If people find out who— well, what I am,” Jonnit says, tapping his forehead again, “Then I’m probably as wanted as you are, Dref.” </p>
<p>“We’re sticking together and that’s the end of it,” Gable says. “Metatron would miss you if you left.” </p>
<p>“Metatron is a truck,” Travis says dryly. </p>
<p>“Well sp— spotted,” Dref says, just as dryly, and Gable can’t help laughing, a little hysterical.  </p>
<p>“That was nothing. That was low hanging fruit,” Travis protests, but he can’t hide the fact he’s laughing too. Jonnit starts messing with the radio again. Gable goes faster, and soon the drone is completely out of sight in the haze of the desert sky, wide and open and blue. </p>
<p>Running away is easy, and it works, too. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>— </p>
<p> </p>
<p>So. So! Getting shot had not been on Gable’s agenda for the day. There hadn’t actually <em>been</em> anything on Gable’s agenda for the day, besides steal more of Travis’s candy. </p>
<p>After they’d encountered the Youngblood drone, they’d driven a long time, through the night, skipping through cities until they were all finally sure there was no chance of getting caught. </p>
<p>They’d parked the truck in a quiet part of town and had just been getting ready to go job hunting when all hell had broken loose, and it turned out that where they’d parked was actually subject to an intense turf war between two local gangs, and instead of just apologising and bowing out, there’d been insults thrown back and forth and then Gable was punching people and they didn’t entirely know <em>how</em> that had happened. </p>
<p>Then someone gets out a gun— Jonnit accesses the building systems and plunges them all into darkness— Dref yells “NO!”— Gable’s ribs suddenly hurt very, very much. </p>
<p>They stagger backwards. Distantly, they heard Travis shout with anger and then another gunshot goes off, and across the room from him there’s the sound of someone hitting the ground, hard. But they barely hear it, because everything <em>hurts</em> and all they can think about is memories of  a person who doesn’t feel like them. Being young and scared and lying in a bright white hospital bed, frozen by the knowledge that there is no one who will stop the terrible things that are about to be done to you— </p>
<p>“Gable,” Dref says urgently, suddenly close, his hands gentle on their arm, the only thing they can feel that isn’t pain. “Gable, I need you to st— stay a— awake.” </p>
<p>“Help,” they manage, before everything goes black. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>— </p>
<p> </p>
<p>When Gable wakes up, everything still hurts, but it’s fuzzy now. Someone has probably dosed them with some kind of painkiller. They’re lying on their back across the back seats of the truck, and they stare up at the ceiling and try to focus on the voices around them. </p>
<p>“I drove us out of there! I should get to drive!”</p>
<p>“You are not dr— driving,” Dref says, “And that is f— final. You’re fifteen! We cannot a— afford to get pulled over right now.” </p>
<p>“But we aren’t gonna meet any lone star anyway,” Jonnit protests, but by his voice Gable can tell he knows that he’s lost that particular battle. </p>
<p>“Clearly, I’ll drive,” Travis says. “I’m—” </p>
<p>“You’re not driving my truck,” Gable says, and their voice comes out rougher than they were expecting. The others all look over, Jonnit climbing up on the back of the seats to see them better.</p>
<p>“You’re awake!” he says. </p>
<p>“D— don’t try and move,” Dref says. “We’re going to find you med— medical attention.” </p>
<p>“Do we even know anyone who’d help us?” Gable asks, trying to reach down to inspect the bullet wound in their side, then immediately regretting it as another wave of pain hits them. Everything is sticky with blood, and they realise with dawning horror that it is definitely theirs. </p>
<p>“I do,” Travis says. “But I’ll only tell you if I can drive the truck.” </p>
<p>“I am literally dying right now and you can’t stop being rude for one second,” Gable says. </p>
<p>“You aren’t dying,” Dref says, but he doesn’t sound certain. That’s a bit concerning. Almost as concerning as all this <em>blood.</em> </p>
<p>“Dref is driving,” Gable says, trying to sound as firm as they can. Their mouth tastes like blood, and they’re sure it isn’t supposed to. “Who do you know?” </p>
<p>“Her name is Margaret,” Travis says, reluctantly climbing out of the driving seat to swap with Dref. “She mainly does sex work and like, therapy type stuff, but she’s also a damn good street doc on the side.” </p>
<p>“And she’d help us? Even though we’re… You know. Extremely wanted?” Jonnit asks. </p>
<p>“Yeah. We’re… old friends.”</p>
<p>“Y— your last old friend tried to sh— shoot you, correct?” Dref says, starting the truck nervously. </p>
<p>“Well, yes, but not— Margaret wouldn’t do that—” </p>
<p>Gable starts to drift out again, but before they pass out completely, they feel a comforting hand on their shoulder. Jonnit’s clambered over the front seats into the back, and is sitting on the floor by their head. The last thing Gable hears is Jonnit whispering meaningless comforts and the rumble of their truck. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>— </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Everything passes in flashes. At some point, Dref stops the truck, and Travis jumps out. They can’t see where he goes, but after a moment he’s back, followed by one of the most beautiful women Gable has ever seen. Her dress is green, and it matches the rippling neon of the electroknife she has in her hand. Her eyes widen when she sees Gable— because of all of Gable’s blood, they presume. </p>
<p>“Can you help them?” Jonnit asks, and Margaret sets her jaw. </p>
<p>“I can,” she says, “And I will.” </p>
<p> </p>
<p>— </p>
<p> </p>
<p>The next time Gable comes round, the lack of pain is breathtaking. The room is white and plain, and for a heart wrenching moment they think they are in that hospital that haunts their cruelest nightmares after all— </p>
<p>But then they look closer, and realise it isn’t a hospital at all. It’s just a room, some kind of spare bedroom. They carefully check their side, and feel new, neat bandages.</p>
<p>At their movement, Margaret looks up. She’s sitting at a desk in the opposite corner of the room, looking at something that appears to be one of Dref’s notebooks, but she gets up and moves to Gable’s side. She looks tired, but calm and steady. </p>
<p>“Welcome back, Gable,” she says. “I don’t know if Travis mentioned— I’m Margaret.” </p>
<p>“Thank you,” they say, then flush at Margaret’s smile. </p>
<p>“My pleasure!” she says. “You should be well on the way to recovery. I have to say, I have never seen Travis Matagot in such a fluster about someone he’s brought to my door.” </p>
<p>“Really? That’s, uh. Unexpected.” </p>
<p>She gives Gable a knowing look that makes their cheeks feel even warmer. </p>
<p>“Margaret?” they say. </p>
<p>“Yes, dear?” </p>
<p>“Where are they?” It comes out more pleadingly than they intend it to. </p>
<p>Before Margaret can reply, there are muffled voices at the door. </p>
<p>“I can hear talking!” Jonnit hisses emphatically. </p>
<p>“We m— must not disturb— privacy is important—” </p>
<p>Dref is interrupted by Travis saying “It’s been <em>hours.</em> And besides, it’s <em>Gable—”</em> </p>
<p>Margaret looks at Gable. “They’ve been outside ever since you arrived. They think they’re being subtle,” she says. “I’ve told them you’re okay, but you shouldn’t be disturbed, so you can rest.” </p>
<p>“I think I would like to be disturbed,” Gable says, pushing themself up a bit. Whatever Margaret did to heal them, there’s no way it was just mundane medicine. “They’re… family.” </p>
<p>“Okay, thank god,” Margaret says, bedside manner breaking for something more genuine and playful. “I’m not sure how much longer I could have gone without putting them out of their misery. Are they always like this?”  </p>
<p>Gable laughs. “Yes,” they say. “But I think you would know that as well as I would, with regards to Travis at least.” </p>
<p>Margaret looks contemplative. “Not really,” she says. “It was— a tough time, around when I first met him. For everyone. But he’s clearly so much happier now. I don’t know what your group’s deal is, but you’re obviously doing something right.” </p>
<p>“I hope so,” Gable says, and Margaret puts a warm hand on their cheek. They look up at her in pleasant surprise. </p>
<p>“I work with a lot of people, in a lot of different situations,” she says, and her eyes are warm and brown and kind. “And it’s so, so clear to me how much you all care about each other. That counts as something right in my book.” </p>
<p>“I’m gonna go in and you can’t stop me,” Travis’s voice comes from the other side of the door, followed by sounds of a tussle, like Dref physically put himself in between Travis and the door. </p>
<p>“Please, let them in,” Gable says, and Margaret grins. </p>
<p>There’s no way they’ll be able to run like this forever. Not considering who each of them are, the enemies they have, the destinies awaiting them. But Gable has never wanted eternity. </p>
<p>For now, this is enough.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>find me on tumblr as <a href="https://www.tumblr.com/blog/drowninginstarlights">drowninginstarlights!</a></p></blockquote></div></div>
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